After watching the creepy online video clip of state Sen. Ginny Burdick and her home, taken by citizen stalkers to prove that she didn't actually have a scheduling conflict with her canceled town hall meeting on March 4, I felt sick ("Burdick videotaped at home," March 6).

These people's preference to threaten and stalk our citizen legislators when they support reasonable gun ownership laws makes me want to publicly acknowledge and thank Burdick for being a true leader. She is thoughtfully and bravely tackling a difficult issue -- reducing gun violence through more responsible gun ownership and use -- even when there are known risks and shameful disrespect and rudeness regularly hurled her way.

We should all stand behind her, building an army of reasonableness to reflect how the majority of people, in Oregon and beyond, feel about guns. We cannot let a few loud but fringe people speak on our behalf.

LISA FRACK Southeast Portland

It was just more than two years ago that now-former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was nearly killed in a mass shooting.

How and why opponents of gun violence prevention measures feel they could follow Oregon state Sen. Ginny Burdick to her home and videotape her -- in a clear attempt to intimidate her from advancing proposals meant to curb gun violence in Oregon -- is unexplainable.

We must do more to end gun violence in our nation. That is why the National Council of Churches, along with many other faith groups, has endorsed President Barack Obama's common sense proposals, and why so many people of faith, including clergy like myself, support Burdick's efforts.

Following Burdick home, knocking on her door and violating her privacy is all evidence that there are mentally unstable people who today are able to obtain weapons that can be used in mass killings. This must end.

REV. CHUCK CURRIE Northeast Portland

It is outrageous, first, that a democratically elected representative of our state might be made to feel unsafe at a community meeting, and second, that political opponents would then characterize her refusal to attend that meeting as "ducking her public responsibilities," as Jeff Reynolds, chairman of the Multnomah County Republican Party, said.

I would say that Reynolds ducked his responsibility as the leader of a county political party by posting a video from a so-called citizen journalist that appears designed to intimidate a public official.

I applaud Burdick's courage in taking this issue on, and I deplore the kind of tactics used by some who oppose reasonable gun laws that would prevent people who are mentally unstable or threatening from having access to guns.

ALICIA PHILPOT Sherwood

Education or pensions

The Oregon Legislature is proposing a $6.55 billion school budget, built in part on proposed $200 million in PERS savings ("Budget plan favors schools," March 5).

As a 54-year-old special education teacher, this proposal puts teachers like me in a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" situation.

MICHAEL MURPHY Northeast Portland

No rush to sue

In a day and age when it seems everyone finds almost any reason to sue someone, I can't tell you how refreshing it was to read not one, but two articles about cases in which possible legitimate lawsuits could have taken place.

First is an article about an elderly woman and a 9-1-1 call ("Woman's family satisfied with no CPR," March 7). The family indicated no plans to sue or profit, characterizing the situation as a "lesson we can all learn from." Second is the article about the little girl who was burned at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital ("Hope survives the fire," March 7). The father indicated no plans to sue, as he doesn't "blame anything or anybody."

Here are two cases in which people realized that sometimes things happen and getting money from it isn't the first reaction to it.